Medicine Report

Morgellons Disease Officially Classified As A Psychiatric Disorder

Multi-year CDC study is finally in

Sores erupt on your skin. You find small hairs and fibers inside the sores, inside blisters, seemingly sprouting from your skin. Pliny the Elder mentioned a similar condition, which was addressed by the topical application of honey. You feel itching, crawling sensations, as if insects or fungal threads were growing under your skin.

Sound horrible? For the sufferers of Morgellons Disease, it is. (Fun fact: every time I read about Morgellons Disease, I have the same nightmare later that night, in which tiny thread-like mushrooms sprout from my bones out through my skin. I'll not be sleeping tonight. Thanks, Internet!)

New Device Detects Cervical Cancer with Spectroscopy

Space tech meets medical science in new cervical scan

The HPV vaccine has made great strides in preventing cervical cancer, but it hasn't rendered the disease obsolete. Doctors still need to screen for potentially cancerous cells down there just to be on the safe side. And thanks to the recent marriage of gynecology and astrophysics, they have a new set of tools to do so.

Professional star-gazers have been using spectroscopy--the analysis of interaction between matter and radiated energy--to check out celestial bodies far, far away from our home. Now, doctors can use the same technology to take a gander at some terrestrial bodies. Guided Therapeutics has developed a way to determine whether cervical cells are cancerous or not by shining a spectrum of light on them and seeing how they reflect it. Planets and cells alike can tell you a lot about themselves when hit with particular wavelengths of light. Cancer cells in the cervix have specific cellular markers that reflect that light in a distinguishing way, making them stand out from the normal, healthy cells around them.

Medicine Report- Cancer Deaths Significantly Lower Over 20 Years

Reports indicate that over the last 20 years, more than a million people are alive who had cancer - all deaths considered avoided through modern medicine and treatment methods. According to a report, the death rate for some of the country's most common types of cancers shows that each year, the number of deaths is lower and lower. This shocking information is good news for the thousands of men and women who are diagnosed with the disease each year.

The most common cancers, including prostate, breast, colon and lung cancers have all seen a significant drop in death rates. Some of the more rare types of cancer, though, including pancreas, liver, thyroid and kidney forms, have seen increases in both death rates as well as the number of instances present. Read more about Medicine Report- Cancer Deaths Significantly Lower Over 20 Years

Medicine Report: Could Diet Affect Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer's is a condition that slowly and often painfully decreases the ability of a person to live a normal life. Generally, the progression of this condition takes time and the family suffers alongside the individual. A new medical report indicates that the diet patterns of some people may in fact help to stop the brain from shrinking, a common problem in those who suffer from this condition.

As reported by ScienceDaily, the diet of some people may play a role in the effects that Alzheimer's has on them. Those who have a diet that is high in specific vitamins or in omega 3 fatty acids could help to reduce the risk of brain shrinkage that happens in people with this condition. Those people who had a diet rich in omega 3's and other vitamins were less likely to suffer this symptom than those that did not have this. The study, published by the American Academy of Neurology is an important one. Read more about Medicine Report: Could Diet Affect Alzheimer's?

Zicam is Amazing, If Taken Correctly

My husband and I have been ill all week, and my mother suggested we take Zicam in order to feel better. She swore that my father and sister, both also sick—likely from shared germs during Christmas!—were both getting much better after taking Zicam rapid melts. The medicine is more expensive than the Dayquil I usually buy—around $10 or $11—so I was naturally skeptical. And when I heard that it was homeopathic, I was even more wary—not because I don’t trust natural remedies; I truly do. It’s just that my sinus structure is different from most people’s, and both conventional and homeopathic remedies usually don’t work well on me for these types of things. Read more about Zicam is Amazing, If Taken Correctly

How to Safely Store Medicine

Rather than storing your medications in the bathroom, choose a cool and dry place to house your drugs.

Many people store their medicines in the medicine cabinet in their bathroom. But in reality, this popular medicine storage spot is not the best place to keep your medicine. The bathroom is typically a warm and humid location, which is an environment that can speed up the breakdown process of some drugs. This breakdown can occur whether the medication is in tablet form or capsule.

What can happen is that the exposure to moisture and heat can cause the medication to loss some of its potency even before the drug's expiration date.

Rather than storing your medications in the bathroom, choose a cool and dry place to house your drugs. Don't opt for the kitchen either, where they again will be exposed to heat and possibly moisture.

New Treatments for Deadly Brain Tumors

It used to be common that the diagnosis of a brain tumor would be fatal. Often inoperable, these conditions are tragic at best. However, the Cleveland Clinic is working on new strategies that could help improve the health of individuals. The research being conducted focuses on providing improvement for some patients facing the most devastating forms of this illness.

What Doctors Are Doing

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the worst with a 20 percent, five-year survival rate, which occurs in those under the age of 19. For those who are diagnosed later in life, the survival rate behind five years is below six percent. However, the research being conducted now focuses on offering these patients help. To do so, they are turning to experimental treatment options. Read more about New Treatments for Deadly Brain Tumors

Neti Pot Use Kills Two

Amoebas in tap water caused the deaths of two Louisiana residents

With flu and general illness season upon us, there's little that's more irritating than walking around with your sinuses filled to the brim. I loathe congestion with the fury of a thousand suns. I evolved to breathe through my nose-holes and I believe I have the right to take advantage of that ability whenever I please, thanks. But as annoying as congestion may be, it seems some of the methods developed to help deal with it actually result in even more nefarious side effects. Like, say, death.

3 Prescription Assistance Programs

Save money on prescriptions drugs through prescription assistance programs -- if you qualify.

As the cost of health care rises, including the price tag of prescription medications, patients need to find ways to save money on medications. Some people qualify for free or low cost prescription medicines through prescription assistance programs. Patient Assistant Programs are commonly called PAPs, and are services typically offered by pharmaceutical companies to help those who cannot afford their medications.

There are a number of these programs out there. Today, we'll showcase three of them.
Read more about 3 Prescription Assistance Programs

Reduce Alzheimer's Risk with Fish

Alzheimer's Disease is one of the most debilitating of all conditions. Not only does it warp your body's ability to perform physical tasks but it wipes clean your memory, leaving you with limit understanding of your surroundings as you age. A new report indicates that there may be a way to reduce the risk of developing the condition and to do so, people just need to eat more fish.